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I am considering section hiking Washington in late June/July. I am hoping to meet some other hikers. Will there be anyone out there at that time? Will I be mostly ahead of the bubble? Any weather/climate concerns for that time of year in that region?
Any and all advice much appreciated, as well as potential hiking partners. Previous experience section hiking AT New Hampshire and Maine.
Thanks!
SOBOs usually start on July 1st, give or take a week or two. Assuming you'll start at Bridge of the Gods, you'll probably meet almost all of them, but won't get to hike with any. Maybe one or two NOBOs will be through then, but they would've had to be through the Sierra by now, so most likely not. Then again, who said hiking alone was bad?
Starting at the south is a must, as the high passes in the North Cascades NP will still have some snow remaining during this period. Ice axe will likely be needed for White and Red passes in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, as those seem to be (from what I've heard and read; no experience out there yet, but coming up this summer!) sketchy and late to melt. The Goat Rocks Wilderness also (maybe between White and Red passes - completely blanking) seems to melt late, as it's very high.
Good luck! Washington is truly an amazing place (I'm just a little biased).
casz55: I'll be on the PCT heading SOBO in early July. You don't state your planned direction, but either way you definitely need to be aware of and follow closely the snow conditions along the trail. Like the Sierra, the North Cascades have experienced well above average snowfall this year. I'm sure others here will chime in with more good resources, but here are a few websites you might consider during your planning. Sorry if you've already seen these:
PCT Snow chart (trail overview): http://www.postholer.com/snow/Pacific-Crest-Trail/1
Hart's Pass SNOTEL plot data: https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/snowplot.cgi?HRPW1
SNOTEL plots interactive map: http://tinyurl.com/mwowp6z
NWS forecasts covering locations on the PCT: https://www.atweather.org/
Halfmile's PCT maps (free, PDF format): https://www.pctmap.net/
Postholer's site is similar to WB, and is worth browsing through as you plan your trip. Also, definitely check out www.pcta.org for solid general information about the trail. You can print Halfmile's maps on your own, or purchase high-resolution prints from various sources (specifically,
http://www.yogisbooks.com/pacific-cr...ing-services-1 comes to mind).
Hope to see you out there! And yes, I imagine the trail will be a rather lonesome place in that window this year :)
Thank you both for your input and resources-- much appreciated! Yes, I was hoping to hike NOBO, although I could try to hike SOBO-- I actually hadn't even considered that idea. Great tips in the snow! I am excited to dig into those sites to see what this trip is going to look like!